Feed-water heater.



Ulillil@ STATES PATENT @FFICEQ MILLABD I- O'SBOURN, OF MERCHANTYILLE, NEVLT JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO WARREN YVEBSTER @c COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY.

FEED-WATER HEATER,-

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

T0 all 'whom it may concern Be it known that I, MILLARD P. OsBoURN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of Merchantville and county of Camden, State of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement in Feed-Netter Heaters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to feed water heaters for steam boilers, and consists of certain improvements set out in the following specification, and shown in the accompanying drawing which forms a part thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide an efficient means of supplying water of oondensation, with or without the addition of other water, to a feed water heater receiving the steam from the exhaust pipe of an engine or other source, whereby a regulated and efficientsupply of water is delivered to the feed water heater to meet the demands thereof in performing its duty as a source of hot water supply for the steam boiler.

My invention consists in combining a feed water heater, with a pressure tank receiving water of condensation and air from a .suitable pump connected with the return pipe of a. steam heating system, pressure relief devices for limiting the degree of pressure maintained in the tank, pipe connections between the tank and the heater for discharging the water from the tank into the heater under a pressure in excess of that of the heater, and an automatic valve to regulate the supply of water to the heater controlled by the level of the water within the heater; furthermore in the said apparatus when provided with an extra water supply pipe connected to the tank, a valve in said supply pipe to control the supply of water to the tank, and means controlled by the level of the water in the tank to operate the valve in the supply pipe to maintain a predetermined water level within the tank; further in the apparatus first above specified when combined with means for more or less equalizing the pressure within the tank and feed water heater whenever the pressure in the latter becomes greater than in the former.

My invention also comprehends details of construction which. together with the features above speciiied, will be heiter underr- 1 stood by reference to `the draw ings, in which is shown an elevation of apparatus embodying my invention.

The exhaust steam from the en 'nes is delivered by pipe 14 into the fee water heater 2, and the hot water therefrom is dra-wn off by pipe 15 and supplied to the boiler by the usual boiler feed pump (not shown).

7 is a vacuum pump and has its suction connected with the return pipe 8 leading from a steam heating system, preferably the vacuum type.l The water of condensation and air received by the pump 7 are discharged, by pipe 6, into a closed receiving tank 5 which may be arranged at an elevation and preferably somewhat above the feed water heater 2. The bottom of this tank 5 is connected with the upper part of the feed water heater 2 by a U shaped water seal pipe 3, provided with a valve 4:. The pipe 3 may connect directly between the tank and valve, omitting the U shaped part, if desired. The valve 4; is`automatically operated by a float device ll within the water chamber of the feed water heater through a lever l2 and link 13. Vhen the level of the water in the feed water heater rises above the normal, the ioat holds the valve 4 shut, and when the level is lowered below the normal by the boiler feed pumps the valve -l is opened to allow more water to enter the heater to restore the predetermined level of the water required in the heater.

9 is an overflow pipe from the receiving tank 5 and may discharge through a weighted check valve 10 to the sewer.

Opening from the top of the tank 5 is the relief pipe 22, which opens to the atmosphere through a pressure relief valve 23, which may be of any of the well known constructions now upon the market for maintaining a limited pressure within a closed vessel. By means of this relief pipe and valve the pressure within the tank may be relieved when it exceeds a pressure desired, said pressure being sufficient to overcome the pressure of the exhaust steam in the feed water heater i., when necessary so as to insure the discharge of the water from the tank through the pipe 3 anovalve et into the steam chamber of the feed water heater against the pressure of the exhaust steam therein. VvThen the tank 5 is arranged above the feed water heater inlet 4 then the column of water in the pipe 3 assists the pressure in tank 5 in feeding the water into the heater. 1f the tank 5, from lack of room is placed lower than the connection of pipe 3 with the feed water heater, then the pressure in the tank 5 alone is required to feed the water againstA the pressure in the heater.

24 is an equalizing pipe, connecting the top of the feed water heater 2 with the relief pipe 22, and this equalizing pipe may be of any size and is provided with a check valve Q5 opening from the heater to prevent the discharge of air from tank 5 into the feed water heater or to allow the pressure within the tank to extend through the equalizing pipe into the feed water heater. The result of this construction is that the water which is supplied by the tank 5 to the feed water heater flows under a sufficient pressure to overcome any pressure which may exist within the heater.

21 is a watersupply pipe connecting with the tank 5 through a valve 19. This valve is controlled by means of a float mechanism so that whenever the water level within the tank 5 is too low, by lack of an adequate supply of water of condensation from the heating system, the valve 19 is opened to make upv the deficiency by delivering water to the tank through the pipe 21 from the street main or other source of water supply.

16 is a float within the tank and is connected in any suitable and convenient manner to the rock lever 17, which is connected by an adjustable link 2O with the lever of the valve 19.

18 is a counterweight which may be employed to assist in opening the valve 19 when the float 16 is lowered.

In varying the level of the water in the tank any other suitable means for operat.- ing the valve to supply feed water ito the tank 5 under th'e control of the level of the water within the tank, may be employed in lieu of that shown.

The operation of the apparatus may now be understood,l as follows: The exhaust steam from the engines enters the feed water heater 2 by pipe 1%, and is there condensed or utilized to 'heat the feed water which may enter the feed water heater through the valve e, or otherwise. The hot water is delivered by pipe 15 to the boiler feed pump, by which it is supplied to the boiler in the ordinary7 way. lThe weighted check valve 10 would ordinarily require 311, pounds pressure in the tank 5 to permit the discharge therefrom through the pipe 9' to the sewer. The relief valve 23 may be set to open at 3 pounds pressure, and 'this would not be sufficient to discharge through the check valve 10 unless there was an excess of water in the tank which would require an overflow into the stand pipe leading to the check valve 10. whereby the pressure of the coiunn of water in the pipe 9 will overcome the back pressure on the weighted check valve 10 to allow the excess of water to discharge to the sewer as waste. 3 pounds pressure within the tank 5 may be greater than the pressure of the steam within the heater at all times, or it may be only greater during the operation of the apparatus after .being put into normal operation. 1n cases where the pressure of the steam entering the heater, may be greater than 3 pounds, it would prevent the supply of water through the valve 4f, and to overcome this possibility the equalizing pipe 24'permits the excess of thesteam pressure to exert its influence through the pipe 22, and into the tank 5, to increase the pressure within the said tank so that the pressure therein and in the feed water heater 2 will be substantially equal, Vunder which conditions the water will then flow by gravity from the tank into the heater through the valve e whenever the level of the water in the heater becomes lowered below the normal level, because under such conditions the iioat 11 operates the valve 4 to admit water. The check valve 25 prevents the pressure, which is intended to be maintained in the tank -5 by the vacuum pump 7 discharging therein, from extending into the feed water heater 2 through the pipe 2i. Should the pressure within the feed water heater be less than the pressure within the tank 5, the supply of water through the valve 4t will be due to the difference in the pressures aforesaid plus the pressure due to the hydrostatic head hereinbefore described when the tank 5 is arranged above the heater as shown in this application as an example of the use of my invention.

The type of feed water heater shown is what is known as the lVebster feed water heater, but 1 do not wish to be limited to the use of any particular character or kind of feed water heater in the application of my invention to commercial use.

1t is evident that, where it is convenient t-o maintain a pressure in the tank in excess of the possible pressure in the feed water heater 2', the tank 5 may be arranged at a lower level, but ordinarilv 1 preferto arrange it at a slight distance above the point of discharge of the water into the feed water heater.

1While 1 prefer the construction shown, the details thereof may be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having now described my invention Iwhat 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent. is:

1. lin a feed water heating system the combination of the feed water heater, with a closed receiving tank, means for delivering water and air under pressure to the receiving tank, a pressure relief device to maintain a predetermined constant pressure in the receiving tank, an overflow pipe from the receiving tank having a back pres sure valve, means for delivering Water from the reciving tank to the feed water heater, and means controlled by the level of the Water in the feed Water heater to regulate the supply of the Water thereto from the receiving tank.

2. In a feed Water heating system the combination of the feed Water heater, with a closed receiving tank, means for delivering Water and air under constant pressure to the receiving'tank, a separate Water supplypipe for delivering Water to receiving tank, means operated by the level of the Water in the receiving tank for controlling the delivery of Water from the separate Water supply pipe into the tank, a pressure relief evice to maintain a predetermined constant pressure in the receiving tank, an overflow pipe from the receiving tank hav ing a back pressure valve, means for delivering water from the receiving tank to the vfeed Water heater, and means controlled by the level of the Water in the feed Water heater to regulate the supply of the Water thereto from the receiving tank.

3. In a feed Water heating system, the combination of a return pipe of a heating system, a closed receiving tank, a pump for sucking on the return pipe and discharging the Water of condensation into the receiving tank, means for maintaining a constant pressure in the receiving tank, a feed Water heater, means for equalizing the pressures of the feed Water heater and receiving tank Whenever the latter contains a less pressure than the former, and means for supplying the Water from the receiving tank into the feed Water heater controlled by the level of the Water therein.

4. InI a feed Water heating system, the combination of a return pipe of a heating system, a closed receiving tank, a pump for sucking on the return pipe and discharging the Water of condensation into the receiving tank, means for maintaining a constant pressure in the receiving tank, a feed Water heater, means for equalizing the pressures of the feed Water heater and receiving tank whenever the lattery contains a less pressure than the former, means for maintaining a predetermined level of Water in the receiving tank and means for supplying the Water from the receiving tank linto the feed Water heater controlled by the level of the Water therein.

5. In a feed water heating system, the combination of a feed Water heater, a receivingtank at a higher elevation than the heater, a U shaped Water pipe having short and long lengths with their upper ends respectively connecting with the heater and tank to provide a Water seal and static head, a valve near the upper end of the shorter length to control the Water delivered to the heater through the U shaped pipe, means operated by the Water in the heater to control the valve, means for delivering Water into the receiving tank under pressure, and means for maintaining a pressure in the receiving tank.

6. In a feed water heating system, the combination of a feed Water heater, a rel ceiving tank at a higher elevation than the heater, a U shaped Water pipe having its upper ends respectively connecting with the heater and tank, a valve to control the Water delivered to the heater,through the U shaped pipe, means operated by the Water in the heater to control the valve, means for delivering Water into the receiving tank under pressure, means for maintaining a pressure in the receiving tank, an overflow pipe from the receiving tank having a back pressure valve, and means for equalizing the pressure in the tank and heater Whenever the pressure in the latter exceeds the pressure in the former.

7. The combination of a feed Water heater, a closed receiving tank, a pipe for delivering Water from the tank to the heater, a valve for regulating the supply of Water to the heater controlled by the level of the Water therein, a pipe to supply Water to the tank, means to regulate the supply of Water to the tank, controlled by the level of the Water therein, means for maintaining a pressure Within the receiving tank, and means for equalizing the pressure in the tank and heater Whenever the pressure in the heater exceeds the pressure in the tank.

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand.

MARY E. Linsen, E. K. LANNING. 

